Milking It: How you Can and Should Use Every Opportunity to Amplify Your Personal Brand

If you know me, or my story, you'll know I used to be all about personal branding. For a long time, I was known as 'The Entrepreneur's Godmother?'—rocking PINK, and my big, bold Scottish personality was always front and centre. Everywhere I went, I had a splash of pink and a passion for helping entrepreneurs.

But guess what? Times change, and so do I. These days, I'm a little less pink (though I still love a good blazer that matches my corporate clients' branding at events). And while I don't exclusively work with entrepreneurs anymore, my journey to building my personal brand is exactly what got me where I am today. Without it, who knows what I’d be doing—probably still shouting at my TV when someone botches a pitch on Dragons’ Den!

Last week, I teamed up with the incredible Amanda FitzGerald PR, a.k.a. 'The Ultimate Door Opener.' We hosted a webinar where we talked all about how I 'milked it' to get to where I am now—and how Amanda helps people like you do the exact same thing. Amanda and I go way back; we met nearly 8 years ago at an Enterprise Nation awards event, where we were both named among the Top Ten Business Advisers in the country. It was a huge honour, and we even ended up on LBC during Business Hour.

Amanda loves telling the story about how she was absolutely gobsmacked by my elevator pitch that day on the radio. We had discount codes flying off the shelves, and the website practically melted down from all the traffic. Amanda was laughing about it during the webinar, saying that was the first time she saw me 'milking it'—but honestly, when I want something, I go after it with everything I’ve got. It's not about being stubborn (okay, maybe a little), but it's about having that burning desire to reach your goals. Think of it like Rocky Balboa training for his big fight—persistence, grit, and never backing down. If you want to succeed in life, you’ve got to go for it like your life depends on it.

For those of you who missed our webinar, don’t worry—I’m sharing some of the top tips Amanda and I covered. Whether you’re looking to break into PR or just build your brand, these are golden nuggets you don't want to miss:

1. Find Your Golden Nugget

Amanda’s advice is simple but powerful: figure out what makes you unique. Sounds obvious, right? But that 'Golden Nugget' is your PR appeal—the thing that makes you ? shine ?. For me, it was my pink branding and the 'Entrepreneur’s Godmother?' title. For you, it could be anything, like a quirky hobby or an unusual background. The press isn’t interested in hearing about yet another generic business, but they’ll jump at the chance to feature someone with a unique angle. So, what’s your nugget?

2. Start Local, Go Global

Sure, everyone dreams of hitting the big time, but don’t underestimate the power of local PR. My first media break came from a small regional publication after I won an award, and I was on cloud nine. But it didn’t stop there—next thing I knew, BBC Breakfast was calling because they found me through that regional piece. Amanda always says, “Don’t be the best-kept secret in your village!”—and she’s absolutely right. PR leads to more PR, so start small and let the opportunities grow.

3. If You Believe in What You Do, Shout It from the Rooftops

I’m passionate about what I do, which means I’ll milk every single opportunity to share it. And you should, too! If you believe in the value of your work, it's your duty to make sure the world knows about it. Don’t let imposter syndrome hold you back. If you don’t put yourself out there, you're not just letting yourself down—you’re depriving potential clients of the help they need and deserve. They’re out there, waiting for you—they just don’t know how to find you yet.

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If you’re serious about getting what you want in life—whether that’s building a personal brand, nailing your PR strategy, or finally hitting those big career goals—then you’ve got to take action. Don’t wait for the right opportunity; create it.

And if you’re ready to take it to the next level, here's two opportunities for you:

SMASH IT!? Live. It’s not just an event; it’s the place where people like you come to turn their dreams into reality. Learn from my playbook that I've used to achieve my goals - giving you a strategy that you can implement straight away.

So, what are you waiting for? Let's start your 2025 off with a bang. Use code EARLYBIRD for 25% off - hurry, this expires on the 30th of September.

Amanda is also running two FANTASTIC PR masterclasses - one is actually tomorrow, so be quick.

25 Sept: PR Strategy and PR insider secrets so you can shine in the media and get ready to MILK IT!

Oct 1st: Award Winners PR Masterclassas we are well and truly in awards season! Learn how to win awards which will take you onto the next level with the press.